Welcome

THANK YOU

July was the Official release of our Newsletter. Unfortunately some of our clients did NOT receive the newsletter, due to 'Undelivered Notices' in our 'news inbox'.

For those that did, we would like to thank you for your feedback, kind words and encouragement...

If you did not receive Last Month's (July) newsletter, we have developed a Text Only Version in Microsoft Word Document Format. You will also be able to view the newsletter directly online. Go to http://www.workcaremedical.com.au/wc_news.htm

Click Here to View Last Month's Newsletter: JULY 2003
Online Version
Downloadable Version

This Month: News on
Hernia Plus Program
EyeCare Safety
Work Conditioning
Vaccinations
Why use an Accredited Physician?

Dear Client,

Hello and welcome...  

You have received this free email alert as a valued client of WORKCARE Medical.

Issued periodically, our newsletter aims to provide further information to our business partners, clients and friends by keeping you informed on the latest in Occupational Medicine.

If you would like to change your email alert profile or cancel this service altogether, please follow the simple instructions at the bottom of this page.

Occupational Rehabilitation Department

THE HERNIA Plus® Program
 

The Hernia Plus program was created by the combined efforts of WORKCARE Medical, The Sydney Hernia Clinic and a team of specialist hernia surgeons. The pilot program was initiated in 2000 with insurer, Employers Mutual Indemnity. Results have proven the program to be an effective tool in helping workers return to work early and safely. In most uncomplicated hernia cases, the worker returns to suitable duties within 7 days and assumes normal duties after 4 weeks.

The program offers immediate response; within 24 hours of referral, WORKCARE conducts a workplace assessment and communicates with all relevant parties to identify workers needs and concerns. The Injured Worker consults with a specialist hernia surgeon within 48hours of initial referral. For the uncomplicated hernia cases, surgery can be performed within 7 days. WORKCARE in consultation with all parties, tailors a return to work plan for the worker's optimal return to duties.

EyeCare Safety Program

Affects of Uncorrected Visual Defects
on Personal Safety & Job Function.

The eye is a complex organ, which needs proper care and protection, and in some cases assistance, to enable it to perform to it's full potential. As we get older it becomes necessary to use prescription glasses to overcome some visual problems which are either physiological or age related.

There are four major visual problems, which can be helped by the use of Optical Corrections:


Hyperopia

The hyperopic person will generally see well in the distance, but not so well up close. In more advanced cases both distance and close vision is blurred.

A lot of people that have hyperopia can often have clear vision but the eye muscles are working much harder then they should. This leads to fatigued eyes which often result in symptoms such as red, sore, itchy or dry eyes plus an increased likelihood of headaches. Because extra effort is required to see, some people find it hard to concentrate or focus on anything for long periods of time.

Q: How can Hyperopia affect my Workplace?

A: Injuries in the work place may result from this lack of concentration, or inability to focus quickly when working up close with machinery. The condition may lead to hand and arm injuries or reduced productivity when working at close distances or in poor lighting.



Myopia

The myopic person will see well up close but not well in the distance. Myopia can sneak up on you with slow changes over long periods of time. It is quite common for some people to think they are seeing clearly, but in fact, their long distance acuity is poor, only when they compare vision or measure acuity on a chart is it realized. It is common for people with uncorrected myopia to make comments like “ I can see clearly but I have be right on top of the street sign before I can read it”. Myopia tends to induce squinting and frowning and often tension headaches result. Myopia is exaggerated at night or in low light levels, headlights of on-coming cars become irritating and clarity deteriorates in rapidly in dull wet conditions. Myopia can become a hazard for anyone who drives a vehicle. Recognition of signs and signals, judgments of distances and alignment of objects can all be affected.


Q: How can Myopia affect my Workplace?

A: Accidents in the work place are likely to be incurred by this group if in control of any piece of mobile machinery including forklifts, cranes and plant machinery.



Astigmatism

Astigmatism can be a mixture of both hyperopic and myopia. If the astigmatism is mild, vision may not be impaired greatly however any tasks that require concentrated focus for lengthy periods of time will most likely cause symptoms of eye strain and headaches. More severe cases of astigmatism will effect both distance and near vision clarity and headaches or sore eyes are almost guaranteed. All the symptoms that can come with hyperopia and myopia apply to astigmatism and all the adverse affects also apply.

Q: How can Astigmatism affect my Workplace?

A: Generally below average performance and productivity, injuries and a high rate of sick days due to headaches and nausea occur.



Presbyopia

This Eye Condition is unfortunately unavoidable even if your eyes are perfectly healthy. Somewhere between 40 and 45 your close vision takes a step away from you. You are no longer able to focus clearly on fine work up close and reading material needs to be held further away to see it clearly. Long distance vision general stays good so driving watching TV etc. is unaffected. There are exceptions to this phenomenon, but those people are usually myopic to start with and therefore maintain good close vision. However, for someone who has had normal vision their whole life, there is nothing more certain than Presbyopia.

It first starts with the eyes feeling tired after reading or taking a little longer to get focus when switching from long distance vision to close vision. As the near point of focus slides out with time the symptoms become more serious and close vision blur, headaches and eyestrain become stronger. Injuries in the workplace and reduced performance are the common result of presbyopic vision.

There are many other causes for visual defects so it should never be assumed that any decrease in vision is simply caused by one of the above conditions. Some visual defects occur gradually and you may not notice the slow deterioration in visual performance for some time. For this reason it is essential that Visual Performance Assessments be carried out at regular intervals of no more than 2 years.



In conclusion
Q: How can Uncorrected Visual Defects affect my Workplace?

A: In the work environment, visual defects if undiagnosed and untreated, give rise to reduced work performance, with the risk of injury. In some cases they may become the major cause of life threatening situations to the individual, and those working around them.
 

Substandard Visual Performance does cause accidents.
 

Work Conditioning Department

Programs Linked to Vocational Goals
 

• Welcome to Brett Murray and Ben Robinson, our two new exercise therapists. Brett has experience in conducting functional capacity assessments and Ben is an experienced Work Conditioning therapist - both are valuable contributions to our growing team.
   
• Our new assessment reports are receiving rave reviews from referrers with the emphasis on linking exercise prescription with the vocational program goal.
   
• Our exercise therapists visit the workplace to develop a greater understanding of the physical demands of an individuals job. This relationship between the exercise program and vocational demands, has been encouraged by WorkCover New South Wales.

Two of our therapists, Sarah Bernsdorff and Nathan Williams, attended the Nepean Pain Management Centre Seminar. Insurers, rehab providers and companies discussed the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to vocational upgrading and the need for open communication to achieve optimal vocational outcomes. 
 

ORKCARE Medical

Vaccinations Programs Available Onsite*

HEPATITIS

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that can be caused by viruses, chemicals or drugs. The two most common types of viral hepatitis are Hepatitis A (also called “infectious hepatitis”) and Hepatitis B (or “serum hepatitis”). In both types, the virus affects the liver in similar ways. However their transmission and prevention are quite different.

At-Risk Occupations

Hepatitis A:

The workers at risk include:-

• plumbers and sewage workers;
   
• health care workers, including cleaners and attendants;
   
• workers in institutions for mentally disabled people, where the standards of hygiene may be poor;

 Hepatitis B:

Workers at risk are those in direct contact with the blood, body fluids or body tissues of other people. Infectious material must enter the body via a cut, needle stick injury or less commonly through the lining of the mucous membranes of the eyes or mouth.

 Those at risk are:-

• health care workers (clinical or laboratory) through needle stick injury

• health care workers exposed to blood or blood products

• laboratory workers in contact with human blood, body fluid and tissues

• accident and emergency workers

• providers of first-aid in the workplace

• workers at institutions of mentally disabled people when hygiene is poor

• prison workers and workers in a drug rehabilitation centre
   

NOTE: This is not a complete list of at-risk occupations - other workers may be at risk, and an assessment should be done of any potential risks in other occupations. Risks factors should be evaluated by a relevant professional (e.g.. occupational physician or nurse) to determine any control measures.

VACCINATION

Vaccination is an effective method of preventing a non-immune person from contracting the infection. This method of protection should be offered by employers for workers in occupations where there is a risk of exposure to human blood or other body fluids and tissues.

At WORKCARE we offers onsite* vaccination programs covering all levels of immunisation needs. Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Flu Vaccination programs are just a few of the immunisation programs available through WORKCARE Medical. Our onsite immunisation programs have played a major role in our clients' cost reduction goals, by refining their 'occupational medicine needs'. For more information on Vaccination Programs please contact us on 02 9797 7800

*Call for details and pricing

$29.99ea or less for bulk!

Medical

Why Use a WorkCover Accredited Practitioner?
 

You've seen it happen before. A person gets a small cut on their finger, goes to their Family Doctor, next thing you know...3 weeks off work?...

The truth is... It's really not the family doctor's fault...but...the 'reality' of it is...The 'Return to Work Plan', as YOU and WE know it, involves the patient to 'return to work'.

So what happened?...

What has happened is; companies like yourself have created and spent $$$$$$$$$, to create a suitable duties program for your injured workers'. So that they can 'return to work'. By having spent money and time on your 'RTW' plan should answer your question alone as to 'Why use an Accredited Practitioner specialising in Occupational Injuries'.

So why should I use an Accredited WorkCover Practitioner?...

An Accredited WorkCover Practitioner is more in tune with the entire plan involved with rehabilitating an injured worker. This is not to say that the family doctor is not, but the question remains: "Is the family doctor familiar with work related injuries and with the entire return to work plan; not just from a medical point of view?" An accredited practitioner has a solid understanding of musculoskeletal medicine (occupational medicine). By practicing their skills with work-related injuries, they see common trends within certain injuries. This helps them to have a greater understanding of 'suitable tasks' and 'suitable duties' within the patient's work environment. Without the compromise of patient care.

Anyone in the Occupational Medicine field; physiotherapists, chiropractors, doctors and specialists, who have a solid understanding of the 'return to work plan' will tell you. "The return to work plan 'works'... as long as the physician is actively involved".

It is also understood that there is only a 6-7 week 'window of opportunity' to fully rehabilitate an injured worker. For this reason it is important to have all hands and brains on deck. After 6-7 weeks..."You may have missed the boat and there is the possibility of the injury becoming chronic" as Dr Jim Kafiris (Accredited WorkCover Practitioner) has said.

Yes...it requires training to be an accredited practitioner...It requires a genuine interest in the Occupational Medicine Field. It involves communication channels to be open between Physiotherapists, Chiropractors, Injury Managers, Case Managers, Occupational Therapists and this list goes on. It is more than just a..."Swipe and sign here environment". It takes hard work, discipline and courage to take on the responsibility of a patient's care, by signing off on suitable duties and making a patient understand the 'No pain! No Gain!' attitude. It takes the knowledge that return to work is 1 part physical and 9 parts psychological.

So when a doctor decides to give 3 weeks off?.. for a small laceration?...to the little finger?...on the left hand?...and the patient is clearly right handed?...Don't be angry. It is just a decision based on lack of training or knowledge of the entire Return to Work Process.

All WORKCARE Medical Practitioners and Specialists are WorkCover Accredited Practitioners specialising in Occupational Injuries. Whether it is Medical, Physiotherapy or Chiropractic needs, our guarantee is an approach that delivers an integrated service provision to help your company meet your 'Lost Time Injury Free Goals' through a solid understanding of the Return to Work Plan.

$29.99ea or less for bulk!

What’s New At WORKCARE Medical?

In July we told you about our Occupational Rehabilitation department's outstanding Accreditation of 96.97% Pre injury duties rate.

We also told about our Premium Discount Audit Accreditation of 15%.

...and about our Website / Newsletter Launch.

AUGUST / SEPTEMBER...more exciting stuff...

The beginning of August was welcomed with a new relationship between WORKCARE Medical and a large Sydney Stevedoring Organisation. Our duties involved the provision of 365/24/7 - Onsite Emergency Medical using our EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE TEAM.

NEW VEHICLES HAVE ARRIVED!
The new growth over the last few months has allowed us to purchase 2 New Ambulances and employ more Medics and Drivers in our EMR Team.

For more information on how EMR can assist you please call 02 9707 7800

LET'S TALK ABOUT YOU

We'd love to hear from you...Click Here and see you next month.

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You have received this free email alert as a valued client of WORKCARE Medical.

Issued periodically, our newsletter aims to provide further information to our business partners, clients and friends by keeping you informed on the latest in Occupational Medicine.

If you would like to change your email alert profile or cancel this service altogether, please follow the simple instructions at the bottom of this message.

If you do not wish to receive this email please click ‘unsubscribe’.